Connor McDavid Playoff Performance

[aufheben]

Except Crosby was actually good and was PPG in his 1st playoffs, then was dominant the next year in a SCF loss, and dominant again the next year in a SCF win.

Which would be 82 points over a season. Crosby scored 120 points that year. So, I think their dropoff was exactly the same, although I'm terrible at math and might be completely wrong.

 

[Hank Plank]

Crosby has 14 points in 11 games in the playoffs

Not bad for a guy that got a concussion then followed up by almost snapping his neck.

McDavid, was gripping his stick pretty hard and made some really bone headed plays coming into the zone, brain not in sync with his his hands. Also playoff hockey does not tolerate outright skill nearly as well as in the regular season.

 

[lawrence]

he was bad enough that all of a sudden Austin Mathews is better! Which makes Mathews in the same sentence as McDavid! yes!

 

[Soundwave]

Not bad for a guy that got a concussion then followed up by almost snapping his neck.

McDavid, was gripping his stick pretty hard and made some really bone headed plays coming into the zone, brain not in sync with his his hands. Also playoff hockey does not tolerate outright skill nearly as well as in the regular season.

It's almost as if one guy has 12 games playoff experience and the other has over 130.

 

[RobertR]

Well, well.. When the worst/slowest defensmen are gone, and better teams aren't playing with the lousy regular season effort..

Look who had problems - Our Golden boy.

 

[Soundwave]

Which would be 82 points over a season. Crosby scored 120 points that year. So, I think their dropoff was exactly the same, although I'm terrible at math and might be completely wrong.

You're actually right, the percentage drop off is pretty similar in PPG production for both McDavid and Crosby in their first playoffs.

I still think there was an assist given to Nugent Hopkins which was actually McDavid's point earlier in the series too.

 

[Sysreq]

Ya'll really missing the net on the OPs initial question: Is Connor McDavid's play-style suited for the play-offs?

No, it's not. Dari was easily the best player for the Oilers this post-season. And a large part of that is his much more crash and bang style. Let's be real, dirty goals are a huge part of play-off hockey. Drai's playstyle is much more "playoff" hockey than McDavids. Infact, watching McDavid play, I am kind of surprised he is listed at 6-1, 200lbs. I would have guessed he was closer to Patrick Kane's 5-11. McDavid is a generational talent, don't mistake me, but right now his game is way to reliant on generating speed through the neutral zone to score off a rush. That's his bread and butter, that's where he shines. Give him time, I am sure he will adapt, but that adaptation is merely evidence that his current style isn't suited for the post-season. Connor needs to find that next level.

 

[NeverForget06]

Sid had 5 points in his first playoff run.... Pens went out 4-1 round 1

 

[RipsADrive]

I think it's fair to say that the Oilers needed him to be better if they were going to move on. He was good but we count on him to be great.

I don't see any reason he can't learn from this and come back better though.

 

[Frank Garrett]

Bust.

 

[ItWasJustified]

Just Not Ready

 

[Arturs Irbe]

Ya'll really missing the net on the OPs initial question: Is Connor McDavid's play-style suited for the play-offs?

No, it's not. Dari was easily the best player for the Oilers this post-season. And a large part of that is his much more crash and bang style. Let's be real, dirty goals are a huge part of play-off hockey. Drai's playstyle is much more "playoff" hockey than McDavids. Infact, watching McDavid play, I am kind of surprised he is listed at 6-1, 200lbs. I would have guessed he was closer to Patrick Kane's 5-11. McDavid is a generational talent, don't mistake me, but right now his game is way to reliant on generating speed through the neutral zone to score off a rush. That's his bread and butter, that's where he shines. Give him time, I am sure he will adapt, but that adaptation is merely evidence that his current style isn't suited for the post-season. Connor needs to find that next level.

Absolutely spot on.

 

[GetFocht]

He's a really superstar but not a generational talent. Crosby is still on whole different level than everybody else.

 

[Future GOAT]

I think it's fair to say that the Oilers needed him to be better if they were going to move on. He was good but we count on him to be great.

I don't see any reason he can't learn from this and come back better though.

Oh I'm sure he'll be going over lots of tape and being shown what the highest scoring players in the league were doing that was successful and what he was or wasn't doing that made him less successful.

I'm sure we'll see an improvement the next time he makes it into the playoffs.

 

[Frank Garrett]

Bigger playoff choker than Ovechkin.

 

[Soundwave]

He's a really superstar but not a generational talent. Crosby is still on whole different level than everybody else.

Where did Sid lead the Penguins to in his sophomore season? *crickets*

This is like all the people who jumped all over LeBron James for not being as good as Kobe Bryant initially in his career. Well we've seen that even out considerably as time has gone on to the point where now many consider James to have the better career (and counting).

 

[KingBilly]

He didn't do terribly. First year in the playoffs adjusting to getting the best D men on the other team learning his tendencies and smothering him for 7 games. Crosby was lost in his first playoff series against the Senators. It happens. In some ways McDavid was still a rookie. Certainly in a playoff sense.

It's a different animal to draw the same D-men for a whole series. They learn you and you learn them. But they've been through it before, and you haven't, in his case.

 

[ANDI P IS CUTE]

DIDN'T Matthews have the same or more points in less than half as many games?

 

[aufheben]

You're actually right, the percentage drop off is pretty similar in PPG production for both McDavid and Crosby in their first playoffs.

I still think there was an assist given to Nugent Hopkins which was actually McDavid's point earlier in the series too.

That's good, I hardly even trust myself with a calculator.

Yes, being the best (or eventual best) player in the world will translate into playoff success.

DIDN'T Matthews have the same or more points in less than half as many games?

This sample size, for both players, means practically nothing. Also the Washington Capitals being amazing defensively is kind of a myth.

 

[Arturs Irbe]

DIDN'T Matthews have the same or more points in less than half as many games?

Well he played against the Caps. What do you expect?

 

[PensPlz]

I don't think anyone is debating he didn't have a sub par playoffs this go. And I don't think anyone is debating that some generational talents (and teams) are just really really really really good in the regular season, and then just kinda fizzle out in the playoffs. I think it's way too early to say that about McDavid and this Oilers team, but it's also way too early to rule it out entirely....

 

[KingBilly]

DIDN'T Matthews have the same or more points in less than half as many games?

Yeah all the Leafs rookies didn't show much of a learning curve in their series with the Caps. I'm inclined to attribute it to the very up-tempo, firewagon, style game the Leafs lured the Caps into playing games 1 through 4. Matthews is gonna be a top 3 player too, don't get me wrong. But I wouldn't jump to any conclusions about McDavid not setting the NHL on fire in his first playoffs.

 

[ANDI P IS CUTE]

Matthews is the most complete rookie in decades. I said COMPLETE.

 

[oilwave]

No, he really wasn't anything close to great. Anyone who actually watched the games knows that.

9 points in 13 games. 54.8% corsi for %, 51.3% Fenwick for. While playing the top defensive defenceman in the game the 1st round and arguably the top defensive forward this year in the second. This in his first playoffs.

He faced insane coverage, still looked very good and opened up SO much room for the rest of the team.

It wasn't his dominance from the regular season or as good as Crosby's first playoff. But by any other metric it was a very good first playoff.

 

[DownGoesMcDavid]

Mcdavid looks ordinary when he isn't padding his stats vs bottom feeder pacific teams like van arizona.

Completely no show especially game 7 . Very perimeter based game like Ovechkin.